Customer Reviews

No Legal Grounds

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Lawyer Sam Trask's life is finally in order. His old drinking and success-at-any-cost ways have been replaced with embracing his family and his faith. Then Nicky Oberlin, an old college classmate, shows up. His first contact with Sam is an innocent enough e-mail. No big deal. Sam deletes the message. After all, he barely remembers the guy, and distractions in his already hectic schedule are not on the agenda. But there's something about the tone of the message that makes Sam uneasy.

And rightfully so. Nicky Oberlin doesn't take "no" for an answer, and soon his behavior escalates into harassment. Sam has sworn to uphold the law and defend the innocent as an attorney. But can the law protect him and his family from someone like Nicky Oberlin? Not when no law has been broken. Which is why Sam is forced to do something he never dreamed he'd do---take the law into his own hands.

Sociopathology isn't a subject often tackled in Christian fiction. But it's a subject that has long fascinated Bell. On crafting the plot of No Legal Grounds, he says, "I began to ask myself how a good Christian family man, a respected lawyer, might react if a sociopath decides, for reasons unknown, to come after him and his family. And what if the legal system, because the sociopath is so clever, is unable to help? And if the Christian man has a vulnerable teen-age daughter who becomes the subject of the evil, what then? What would this father do?"

It's this serious subject matter that gives No Legal Grounds a somewhat darker feel than some of Bell's previous works. It resembles Presumed Guilty closest in tone, since both deal with tough subject matters. But No Legal Grounds hits closer to home. We all have people in our pasts who could hold a grudge against us like Nicky does against Sam. Any one of us could be in Sam's shoes.

James Scott Bell is an expert wordsmith, artfully placing us in the scene. We're not just observing his characters, we're INVOLVED with them. We rejoice in their triumphs, wince at their pain, and root for them to win. No more so than with Heather Trask, Sam's seventeen-year-old daughter. A struggling musician who butts heads with her father's ideals, her scenes are particularly well done as we follow her down a path we know will only lead to trouble. And Bell manages to pepper in just enough slang and mannerisms of today's teens to believably portray Heather and her crowd without sounding like he's trying too hard. Some of the court scenes and legal aspects of No Legal Grounds struggle to flow with the story, but this is only a minor distraction amidst the suspenseful plot.

Ultimately, even though the dark might be darker, the light of truth still shines, a much-loved quality always found in a Bell novel. No Legal Grounds isn't a sugar coated, feel-good piece. That's not what it's meant to be. It's an honest look at one man's struggle to protect his family and overcome society's evils. Through Sam's journey we come to understand how we can overcome ALL evil---through the light of the Truth.

--Reviewed by C.J. Darlington for TitleTrakk

Sam Trask has enough problems with his law practice and his family. Then a figure from his past, a man he doesn't even recall, begins a systematic war against Sam and his family--a war that progresses from psychological to physical. Every time I thought that the tension couldn't be ratcheted up, Bell managed to make my pulse rate go even higher. This book is a classic example that the genre of Christian suspense fiction isn't all sweetness and light--sometimes, as in this case, it deals with the dark things that can happen, things we don't think about because the prospect frightens us too much.

"No Legal Grounds" is a suspenseful thriller which rivals or surpasses other authors of this genre. With a plot comprised of a series of events which can only be described as nightmarish, a family is faced with the threats and terrorism of a totally-demented sociopath who will stop at nothing as he maliciously stalks his prey. And, all the while, with `no legal grounds' for law enforcement to act in their defense. With his intimate knowledge of the law and its restrictions, Mr. Bell, an attorney, brings to his writing a sense of realism. His characters are such that a reader comes to know and care about them--a vital ingredient for intensifying the suspense of a novel. And, as a devout Christian, this extraordinarily talented author creates his story without resorting to what some euphemistically refer to as `adult language' (i.e., `vulgar'); nor does he feel compelled to create scenes which, in many of today's movies would `earn' an R, or restricted, rating. Suspenseful, knowledgeable, creative, interesting, and inspiring--James Scott Bell provides his readers with all of this and more. "No Legal Grounds" is a terrific read. Highly Recommended!
--Ron Howe (aka Toby Martin II) Erskine, Minnesota.

James Scott Bell has penned another thriller with heart. Sam Trask, a dutiful family man and lawyer, faces the not-so-uncommon problems of a teenage daughter spiraling out of control and balancing family life with his demanding job. A random email from a forgotten college buddy signals the start of a fast-paced descent into a family nightmare he can't escape. The reader is pushed to the edge along with Sam as he considers how far he'll go to protect his family when the law is unable and unwilling. With some unforeseen twists, this story grips you to the last page. A masterful storyteller, Bell has written another story packed with suspense. His characters ring true, especially his depiction of Sam's teenage daughter's world. WARNING: Will keep you turning pages into the wee hours!

It is no secret I am a fan of James Scott Bell. As a former trial lawyer, he has written some of the best legal-suspense stories I have ever read. He tackles controversial subjects, and is not afraid to pull and peel at them until nothing but truth is left exposed. More than that, he knows how to begin a book in the thick of it. You know what `it' is. Action. Tension. He doesn't fill page after page with fluff. He focuses his writing so that his output is nothing but non-stop, fast-paced, page-turning product. What more can a reader want?

His latest legal thriller, No Legal Grounds, is the most compelling, fingernail-biting thriller to-date. In the vein of Cape Fear, by John D. MacDonald (novel form, or either big-screen adaptation), attorney Sam Trask is in the midst of living life, making mistakes but working toward contentment. His law firm is about to get bogged down in a giant legal battle that, depending on the outcome, could make him and his partner extremely rich. In order to dedicate the time needed, both attorneys are forced to quickly settle all other cases on their plates, regardless of whether settlement is right or wrong.

There is also tension on the home front. Sam and his wife, Linda, have two children. The youngest, Max is everything a twelve-year-old boy should be. He does well in school, plays Little League baseball, and loves playing with his dog. Their daughter, on the other hand, is everything a teenager should be--and that has Sam and Linda going out of their mind, fearing that if things continue on the course they are on, they might lose their little girl forever.

Just when it seems like life really can't get too much worse, a guy Sam once casually knew back in college, Nicky Oberlin, contacts him. Though the initial attempts to re-live the good old days are annoying at first, it becomes quickly-clear that Nicky has some sick agenda revolving around secrets from Sam's past and is set on not only disrupting the ebb and flow of Sam's life, but on destroying the man and his family all together.

Nicky's presentation is friendly, and cordial on the surface, but his intent and antics are hostile and dangerous underneath. The only problem, Nicky knows not to break any laws. Nicky knows how to push Sam's buttons. Nicky knows how to make himself look like a victim. Each frustrating step Sam takes to protect himself and his family gets Sam deeper and deeper into trouble with his firm, with his family and with the law.

As Nicky becomes a physical threat against Sam and his family, Sam is forced to choose a way in which to deal with Nicky. There needs to be an actual end to the reign of terror Nicky created, but at what cost? At what point is too far? Is it possible Nicky can win his `game' by pushing Sam to the point of no return?

Amazingly well drawn characters. The secondary storylines are just as compelling as the main storyline. Bell uses plenty of dialogue to keep the pace of the story at break-neck speed. Though a bit more violent and intense than any of his previous works, this novel has something for anyone who enjoys suspense thrillers. If you are a James Scott Bell fan, or if you have never read a James Scott Bell novel, No Legal Grounds is one you won't want to miss!

--Phillip Tomasso III

James Scott Bell has done it again. He's created another legal thriller, with well-defined characters and action that doesn't let up from the very first page. He delivered one of the best "Whoa!" twists I've read in any form of fiction in a long time. I'm never disappointed when his name is on the cover!

James Scott Bell has turned out another roller-coaster, and this one works on many levels. We have an upstanding attorney with some secrets in his background that he'd like to keep that way, and an old acquaintance from college who has too much information and turns out to be a sociopath with our attorney in his sights. While the antagonist looks for angles to attack, our hero struggles through a professional crisis and family turmoil, and he's ultimately forced to decide whether or not to protect his family by acting outside the law he's believed in all his life. The story has surprises and twists, and the legal drama that Bell has developed a reputation for delivering.

No Legal Grounds began slow enough. Perhaps James Scott Bell just has one good book? A lawyer and his family - a secret - and suddenly we, the readers, are thrown into a maelstrom of events that carry us into a "What else can go wrong?" place. What place does Jesus Christ have in our lives when things go wrong? Where do we put our trust and hope in a life or death situation, when evil surrounds us? What do we do when we encounter a friend - who isn't a friend? A lawyer, whose strength is his faith in God and in his family, provides hope for us all.

A well written. intriguing plot. To reviewer "Dr. Bob". if you had noticed that Zondervan was the publisher you would have realized it could have christian tone. Zondervans most popular seller? The Bible.

Bell finds a great balance between characterization and plot that keeps the reader caring about his characters while unable to put down the book from the pace of his stories. No Legal Grounds follows this well-balanced formula and is guaranteed to keep you up until you finish it.

In this legal thriller, Attorney Sam Trask finds himself and his family victimized by an old college acquaintance Nicky Oberlin. At first, Nicky's desire to reconnect with Trask seems innocent enough but soon places Trask in a fight for life. When Trask and his family's lives are threatened, he follows the legal route trying to protect his family. When this fails, Trask toys with taking protection into his own hands. In his struggle, we can see how easy it might be to follow the wrong path and become a vigilante. Especially when Bell paints a picture of complete failure and despair in Trask's life.

The book also follows the rebellion of Trask's teenage daughter, Heather. She leaves home to find her way in the music business, succumbing to many temptations that would keep her parents awake at night if they knew what she was up to. The dynamics between Trask, his wife, and daughter are very realistically portrayed and give insight on how difficult it is to raise a teenager today. Through all of this, Trask questions his faith while Heather begins to find her way to faith.

I have read many of Bell's books and have never been disappointed in any of them. As a writer, he gives me concrete examples of how to craft a novel. His characters always resonate with me, in that he creates ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary situations, giving me the chance to take this journey with them and ponder what I would do in their shoes without the pain in my own life.

I have always enjoyed legal thrillers. No Legal Grounds has its share of legal jargon that keeps the story true to the genre, but the difference in this book than many other legal thrillers is that the life outside the courtroom is the real story. Love, family, faith, and hope are the threads that kept me reading No Legal Grounds. Pick it up, you won't be disappointed.